Abstract: The invention comprises a method and apparatus for: (1) alternatingly in time inflating and deflating a sealed compartment that includes: a first flexible and deformable seal connected to a pressure control chamber; (2) alternatingly in time pumping a gas into a first chamber and a second chamber separated by a first piston in a first partially sealed cylinder of a double acting kinematic cylinder, the double acting kinematic cylinder further comprising a second partially sealed cylinder, including: a second piston and the pressure control chamber, the pressure control chamber both on a first side of the second piston and within the second partially sealed cylinder; and (3) transferring a force from the first piston to the second piston via a rigid coupler affixed at a first end to the first piston and at a second end to the second piston, such as to alternating inflate and deflate a seal.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method and apparatus for: (1) alternatingly in time inflating and deflating a sealed compartment that includes: a first flexible and deformable seal connected to a pressure control chamber; (2) alternatingly in time pumping a gas into a first chamber and a second chamber separated by a first piston in a first partially sealed cylinder of a double acting kinematic cylinder, the double acting kinematic cylinder further comprising a second partially sealed cylinder, including: a second piston and the pressure control chamber, the pressure control chamber both on a first side of the second piston and within the second partially sealed cylinder; and (3) transferring a force from the first piston to the second piston via a rigid coupler affixed at a first end to the first piston and at a second end to the second piston, such as to alternating inflate and deflate a seal.

Abstract: A sample vessel retention mechanism for an inverted microscope having an optical objective and a scanning probe microscope (SPM) head. The inverted microscope includes a platform for supporting a sample vessel, in which is formed an aperture sized to provide a passage for the objective of the inverted microscope to approach the sample vessel from below. The retention mechanism provides a vacuum region formed in the platform, with the vacuum region being barometrically coupled with a vacuum generator. Establishment of a vacuum in the vacuum region prevents or substantially reduces oscillation of the sample vessel floor in an operating frequency range of the SPM head.

Abstract: An LED luminaire with an integrated battery backup is divided into a hidden infrastructure portion and a decorative body portion. The luminaire body has a main lighting deck with two separate LED arrays mounted thereon and a decorative skirt extending from the main lighting deck. A first LED array is operative on regular and emergency power, and a second LED array is operative on battery power. A diffuser panel is received over the main lighting deck. The hidden infrastructure portion includes a light fixture housing configured and arranged to be mounted within a building infrastructure, an emergency battery backup assembly received within the light fixture housing wall, and a housing fixture bracket secured within the light fixture housing to support the emergency backup assembly in the upper portion of the light fixture housing.

Abstract: A sample vessel retention mechanism for an inverted microscope having an optical objective and a scanning probe microscope (SPM) head. The inverted microscope includes a platform for supporting a sample vessel, in which is formed an aperture sized to provide a passage for the objective of the inverted microscope to approach the sample vessel from below. The retention mechanism provides a vacuum region formed in the platform, with the vacuum region being barometrically coupled with a vacuum generator. Establishment of a vacuum in the vacuum region prevents or substantially reduces oscillation of the sample vessel floor in an operating frequency range of the SPM head.

Abstract: For automated text processing, the inventors devised, among other things, an exemplary system that automatically extracts financial events from various unstructured text based sources, such as press releases and news articles. Extracted events, such as mergers & acquisitions, earnings guidance reports, and actual earnings announcements, are represented as structured data records which can be linked, searched, and displayed and used as a basis for controlling accessing to the source documents and other related financial documents for named entities.

Abstract: A sample vessel retention mechanism for an inverted microscope having an optical objective and a scanning probe microscope (SPM) head. The inverted microscope includes a platform for supporting a sample vessel, in which is formed an aperture sized to provide a passage for the objective of the inverted microscope to approach the sample vessel from below. The retention mechanism provides a vacuum region formed in the platform, with the vacuum region being barometrically coupled with a vacuum generator. Establishment of a vacuum in the vacuum region prevents or substantially reduces oscillation of the sample vessel floor in an operating frequency range of the SPM head.

Abstract: An LED luminaire with an integrated battery backup is divided into a hidden infrastructure portion and a decorative body portion. The luminaire body has a main lighting deck with two separate LED arrays mounted thereon and a decorative skirt extending from the main lighting deck. A first LED array is operative on regular and emergency power, and a second LED array is operative on battery power. A diffuser panel is received over the main lighting deck. The hidden infrastructure portion includes a light fixture housing configured and arranged to be mounted within a building infrastructure, an emergency battery backup assembly received within the light fixture housing wall, and a housing fixture bracket secured within the light fixture housing to support the emergency backup assembly in the upper portion of the light fixture housing.

Abstract: An LED luminaire with an integrated battery backup is divided into a hidden infrastructure portion and a decorative body portion. The luminaire body has a main lighting deck with at least one LED mounted thereon and a decorative skirt extending from the main lighting deck. A diffuser panel is received over the main lighting deck. The hidden infrastructure portion includes a light fixture housing configured and arranged to be mounted within a building infrastructure, an emergency battery backup assembly received within the light fixture housing wall, and a housing fixture bracket secured within the light fixture housing to support the emergency backup assembly in the upper portion of the light fixture housing.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method and/or an apparatus using a computer configured exercise system equipped with an electric motor to provide physical resistance to user motion in conjunction with means for sharing exercise system related data and/or user performance data with a secondary user, such as a medical professional, a physical therapist, a trainer, a computer generated competitor, and/or a human competitor. For example, the exercise system is used with a remote trainer to enhance exercise performance, with a remote medical professional for rehabilitation, and/or with a competitor in a competition, such as in a power/weightlifting competition or in a video game. The exercise system is optionally configured with an intelligent software assistant and knowledge navigator functioning as a personal assistant application.

Abstract: An LED luminaire with an integrated battery backup is divided into a hidden infrastructure portion and a decorative body portion. The luminaire body has a main lighting deck with at least one LED mounted thereon and a decorative skirt extending from the main lighting deck. A diffuser panel is received over the main lighting deck. The hidden infrastructure portion includes a light fixture housing configured and arranged to be mounted within a building infrastructure, an emergency battery backup assembly received within the light fixture housing wall, and a housing fixture bracket secured within the light fixture housing to support the emergency backup assembly in the upper portion of the light fixture housing.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method and/or an apparatus using a computer configured exercise system equipped with an electric motor to provide physical resistance to user motion in conjunction with means for sharing exercise system related data and/or user performance data with a secondary user, such as a medical professional, a physical therapist, a trainer, a computer generated competitor, and/or a human competitor. For example, the exercise system is used with a remote trainer to enhance exercise performance, with a remote medical professional for rehabilitation, and/or with a competitor in a competition, such as in a power/weightlifting competition or in a video game. The exercise system is optionally configured with an intelligent software assistant and knowledge navigator functioning as a personal assistant application.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method and/or an apparatus using a computer configured exercise system equipped with an electric motor to provide physical resistance to user motion in conjunction with means for sharing exercise system related data and/or user performance data with a secondary user, such as a medical professional, a physical therapist, a trainer, a computer generated competitor, and/or a human competitor. For example, the exercise system is used with a remote trainer to enhance exercise performance, with a remote medical professional for rehabilitation, and/or with a competitor in a competition, such as in a power/weightlifting competition or in a video game. The exercise system is optionally configured with an intelligent software assistant and knowledge navigator functioning as a personal assistant application.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring, collecting, and processing the temperatures of a number of hot junctions in a thermocouple sensor array simultaneously comprises means for measuring the temperature of one or more reference junctions and means for collecting, processing, storing, and transmitting data collected from an array of thermocouple temperature sensors. The measured temperature(s) of the one or more reference junctions is used to correct the measured voltage in each of a plurality of thermocouple circuits to obtain accurate hot junction temperature measurements. The apparatus and method are particularly useful for collecting and processing temperature data from various locations within engines such as turbine, rocket, and internal combustion engines.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method and/or an apparatus using computer configured exercise equipment and an electric motor provided physical resistance in conjunction with a game system, such as a video game system, where the exercise system provides real physical resistance to a user interface. Results of user interaction with the user interface are integrated into a video game, such as running on a game console. The resistance system comprises: a subject interface, software control, a controller, an electric servo assist/resist motor, an actuator, and/or a subject sensor. The system provides actual physical interaction with a resistance device as input to the game console and game run thereon.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method and/or an apparatus using computer configured exercise equipment and an electric motor provided physical resistance in conjunction with a game system, such as a video game system, where the exercise system provides real physical resistance to a user interface. Results of user interaction with the user interface are integrated into a video game, such as running on a game console. The resistance system comprises: a subject interface, software control, a controller, an electric servo assist/resist motor, an actuator, and/or a subject sensor. The system provides actual physical interaction with a resistance device as input to the game console and game run thereon.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method and/or an apparatus using a computer configured exercise system equipped with an electric motor to provide physical resistance to user motion in conjunction with means for sharing exercise system related data and/or user performance data with a secondary user, such as a medical professional, a physical therapist, a trainer, a computer generated competitor, and/or a human competitor. For example, the exercise system is used with a remote trainer to enhance exercise performance, with a remote medical professional for rehabilitation, and/or with a competitor in a competition, such as in a power/weightlifting competition or in a video game. The exercise system is optionally configured with an intelligent software assistant and knowledge navigator functioning as a personal assistant application.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring, collecting, and processing the temperatures of a number of hot junctions in a thermocouple sensor array simultaneously comprises means for measuring the temperature of one or more reference junctions and means for collecting, processing, storing, and transmitting data collected from an array of thermocouple temperature sensors. The measured temperature(s) of the one or more reference junctions is used to correct the measured voltage in each of a plurality of thermocouple circuits to obtain accurate hot junction temperature measurements. The apparatus and method are particularly useful for collecting and processing temperature data from various locations within engines such as turbine, rocket, and internal combustion engines.

Abstract: A method for staffing a project, involving receiving a staffing request for the project, wherein the staffing request includes at least one attribute of the project, and wherein the project is a task to be completed internally by an organization, automatically searching a plurality of user profiles to identify a subset of user profiles from the plurality of user profiles, wherein user data stored in each of the subset of user profiles matches the at least one attribute of the project, displaying the subset of user profiles, and receiving a selection of at least one user profile from the subset of user profiles for staffing the project.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method and/or an apparatus using computer configured exercise equipment and an electric motor. A computer-controlled robotic resistance system is used for training, diagnosis and/or therapy. The resistance system comprises: a subject interface, software control, a controller, an electric servo assist/resist motor, an actuator, and/or a subject sensor. The system overcomes the limitations of the existing robotic rehabilitation, weight training, and cardiovascular training systems by providing a training and/or rehabilitation system that adapts a resistance or force applied to a user interactive element in response to the user's interaction with the training system, a physiological strength curve, and/or sensor feedback. For example, the system optionally provides for an automatic reconfiguration and/or adaptive load adjustment based upon real time measurement of a user's interaction with the system or sensor based observation by the exercise system as it is operated by the subject.